Concentration Focus Exercises
Hungarian psychologist Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi has conducted pioneering investigations into the "zone" or "flow" experience. Csikszentmihalyi formerly chaired the psychology department at the University of Chicago, and is now at Claremont Graduate University. He suggests that there are a number of factors that seem to accompany an "in the zone" experience, including:
- The individual has a clearly defined goal that is challenging yet attainable and that will demand that he or she delivers a peak performance in order to achieve that goal.
- That person focuses on that goal with a high degree of concentration.
- The individual loses self-consciousness, does not think about himself or herself, and has no self-doubts. Awareness merges with action, so that instead of thinking, "I must try to hit this ball" or "I must try to deliver this speech," the individual simply acts without trying.
- The person becomes so focused that his or her subjective sense of time becomes altered. Time seems to slow down.
- The person experiences a sense of complete mastery and control over the situation, and the action seems effortless.
- The individual has no sense of bodily needs and is not aware of feelings of pain, exhaustion, bladder pressure, or hunger.
- The person becomes so absorbed in focusing on the activity or goal that he or she is completely immune to distractions from the outside world. Concentration has become complete.
In his book Beyond Boredom and Anxiety: Experiencing Flow in Work and Play, Csikszentmihalyi cited a study of chess players who had undergone an "in the zone" experience.
The game of chess, he said, is "well adapted to induce the flow expenence. Because of the rules and organization of the game, a player can shut out the distractions of the outside world and concentrate in a focused way on the artificial world of the game.
Players commonly experience a suspension of the awareness of time. Someone asks, "Do you want to play chess?" So they set up the pieces and begin playing – and before they know it, the two players have spent several hours absorbed in the game. The study of the "in the zone" experience among chess players has produced these interesting findings:
When asked whether they have to make an effort to concentrate on the game, 91 percent of the players gave an unequivocal "no." … [Players reported that] "concentration is like breathing: you never think about it. The roof could fall in and, if it missed you, you would be unaware of it." … One player said that she has difficulties in concentrating "only in the very beginning or when it is clear to me that either my opponent or myself is in trouble, and when I get tired. Or if I have personal worries. Distractions are people talking, their various nervous habits, or my own thoughts. I have to ask others to stop making noise, and for my own thoughts it requires determination and I struggle to 'dig in.'" This statement illustrates the precarious permeability of the flow state. Intrusions are always possible from within or without. But when the flow situation is optimal … the activity becomes all-absorbing.
Asked whether they think about other things while they are playing a good game, 74 percent said that they do not: "I generally do not think of other things while playing, but I'm wholly concentrating on the game." Some mention that as soon as their mind wanders, they Iose.
Most people think of "the zone" as a mysterious experience that strikes like lightning – and vanishes just as quickly, the result of unpredictable factors such as a surge of adrenaline or a rush of endorphins. I disagree. I believe it is possible to create the conditions that make it possible to enter "the zone" on a recurring basis.
I don't want to overpromise and say that anyone can enter a state of "flow" at will, like flipping on a light switch. You can't force your way into the "zone." You can't predict when it will happen.
But through the power of extreme focus, you can create the inward and outward conditions that make "flow" more likely to take place.
We create the perfect conditions for an "in the zone" experience whenever we are intensely focused on a well-defined goal, when we lose ourselves in the moment, when we are so well-prepared that we feel a sense of mastery and confidence, and when we can shut out distractions within and without. Here, then, are some practical insights that will help you enter the "flow" of peak performance:
1. Prepare Yourself Mentally
Something magical happens when we are playing at our optimum ability. Nothing exists except the game. Some people call it playing in "the zone." It doesn't happen all the time, but when it does, we feel as if we are in complete control and that we can sense what is going to happen before it does.
Concentration helps us focus and, in effect, turn off our minds. Thinking too much can actually hamper our performance … Concentrating helps to turn off the mental chatter that can distract us. It can also help to eliminate extra babble – when we are focused we are not thinking about what phone call to return or whether or not we'll have time to pick up our dry cleaning. We are completely involved in our game or our workout. We will discover the time passing without our even noticing.
Physical training also contributes to mental preparation. By repeatedly practicing and rehearsing your physical skills, you build up so-called muscle memory (which is actually located in specific areas of the brain) that enables you to perform those skills effortlessly and unthinkingly at just the right time, even under pressure. When you are physically well prepared to take on any challenge, you feel a boost in your confidence, which enables you to concentrate – and perform at the peak of your abilities.
2. Prepare Yourself Physically
Tim Gallwey calls the physical realm "the outer game." The outer game includes the care of our bodies and the way we physically engage with the world around us. Before you begin a performance or attempt any great challenge, make sure you are well practiced and well coached in the skills you need. Get plenty of exercise, nutrition, and rest. Familiarize yourself with the "arena" in which you will compete and the opponents you will compete against.
Sometimes, aspects of your outer game can affect your inner game. Poor nutrition, lack of sleep, and physical exhaustion are all "outer game" factors that can interfere with your ability to focus and maintain a positive mental attitude. But when your inner game and outer game are working together harmoniously, you create the conditions for entering "the zone" and staying there. To learn more, you can check out Concentration Focus Exercises.
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